Game table



, Nov. 18, 1 24- 1,515,594

F. A. DUNCAN ET Al.

GAME TABLE Filed May 14, 1924 1NVENTOR5 fiedenck fl.flzmcan By ffrikarli. Wagner,

- ATTORNEY6 Patented Nov. 18, 19245.

i o "r Pil FREDERICK A. DUNQAN AND ARTHUR B. W'AGNER, OF TNDIAIIAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GAME TABLE.

Application filed May 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK A. DUNCAN and ARTHUR B. WAGNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Game Table, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in game boards particularly adapted for playing the ancient Mandarins, popularly known as Mah jongg, in which a number of tiles or blocks are manipulated by the players, and has for one of its objects the provision of a playing surface surrounded by suitable supports, etc, for the tiles during the play and which surface may, when not in use, be covered in such a manner as to protect the tiles and prevent the same from becoming chipped and damaged.

F or the purpose of disclosing our invention, we have illustrated certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a table top embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan View, and

Fig. 4 is a detail section of a modification.

1n the embodiment illustrated, we provide a board 1 of suitable dimensions which, on

its upper face, is covered by felt or other suitable material 2 to provide a playing surface 3. This surface is surrounded on its four sides, to form a rectangular enclosure, by a suitably formed tile-supporting moldin 1. The molding of each side is mitred at its ends to make a suitable corner oint and each molding has an upward ly inclined surface 5 to form a tile rack, this surface terminating in a groove 6. The molding 4 is also provided with a suitable recess 7 which is preferably divided, by a series of walls 8, into separate compartments which provide containers for the counters of the game. The counter containers are preferably closed by a hinged cover 9 which is provided with a catch 10 by which it may be locked against accidental opening. The inner face 11 of the molding is substantially vertical and the inclined face 5 is slightly less than the length of a tile so that the tiles may be readily placed and substantially rectangular in cross section and which, when building the wall, is pushed fiat up against the vertical face 11 of a molding to provide a. movablestacking face against which the tiles may be stacked in building the wall. After the tiles have been stacked, the stacking strip :1

may be moved towardthe center to move the wall into the center of the playing space and during the play this stacking strip may be used as an exposed tile rack.

For covering the playing space, when the board is not in use, we provide a cover meniber 13 which is shaped to lit within the space formed by the moldings at and is provided at each corner with bolts 11adapted to seat into sockets formed in the vertical face 11 of the molding. These bolts, it will be noted, all face in the same direction and as the space to be closed is rectangular, and the cover board accordingly rectangular, it is immaterial in what position the board is placed as any bolt will take into any socket. 13, on its under face, is provided with spacer members 15 which engage the top face of the board 1 and these spacer members are of just sufficient width to elevate the under face of the cover member just sufficiently to accommodate the tiles when they are in proper position on the playing surface so that the cover may be placed in position without disturbing the tiles or the wall racks 12, and at the same time the tiles will not turn on edge and become chipped during the handling of the board in event the playing board is turned edgewise for storage purposes.

The cover board is shown as provided with suitable handles 16 by which it may be lifted from position.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, a second cover board 17 may be mounted on the top of the cover board 13, which board may rest upon the upper edge of the moldings and provide a surface for playing cards or other games thereon, if desired. The cover board 13 and the surface board 17 are suitably spaced apart by spacer members 18 and 0p posite the bolts 14 the surface board 17 is provided with openings to permit access to the latching bolts 14.

The cover member lVe claim as our invention:

1. A game board comprising a playing surface flanked on each side by a molding projecting above the playing surface and having its upper surface formed into an inclined tile rack, and a removable cover for said playing surface fitting Within said moldings and spaced apart from the playing projecting above the playing surface and having its upper surface formed into an inclined tile rack and having on their inner surfaces bolt receiving sockets and a re movable cover for said playing surface fitting Within said moldings and having bolts arranged to engage in said sockets for locking the cover in position.

at. A game board comprising a playing surface flanked on each side by a molding projecting above the playing surface and having its upper surface formed into an inclined tile rack and a trough, a cover for said trough having means for locking the same shut, and a cover for said playing surface arranged to fit Within said moldings and means for locking said cover in p0sition.

5. A game board comprising a. playing surface flanked on each side by a molding projecting above the playing surface and having its upper surface formed into an inclined tile rack, the inner face of each moldingbeing provided with bolt socket, a cover for said playing surface fitting Within said moldings and having a plurality of bolts one on each corner thereof arranged to co-operate Withthe openings in the mold ings, said. bolts all being faced in the same direction.

6. A game board comprising a playing surface flanked on each side by a molding projecting above the playing surface and having its upper surface formed into an inclined tile rack and a trough, a cover for said trough having means for locking the same shut.

in Witness whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of Mary, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty four.

FREDERICK A. DUNCAN. ARTHUR B. WAGNER. 

